Disneyland for Grown Men

So what is it about guys like Hernández? Is the traditional dating scene that tiresome? "If you think about it," he says, "it's cheaper altogether" to go to his favorite Coahuila bar. "Dinner, movies, concerts, gas money driving everywhere -- it's so much work, and this could take weeks with a girl you meet in San Diego. In TJ, you pay your money straight up, and you're done in 30 minutes. Like me and my friends always say, all men pay for it one way or another."

The growing social acceptability in the United States of these "regular Joes" becoming "regular johns" may not be occurring in Tijuana. I meet Luis in a quiet bar in Chula Vista, where he often comes after work before crossing the border to go home. He shoots pool with a coworker named Brenda, and we chat after Luis offers to buy me a drink. They seem excited to see a new face in their regular hangout, and even the bartender gets in on the conversation. After a few drinks, they say they are going dancing that night in Tijuana, and I ask, "Going anywhere near the Coahuila?"

The smile leaves Luis's face, and all chitchat comes to a halt. He puts his pool cue back in its case as he tells me no, he's not going anywhere near the Coahuila. "You know why?" he asks me in Spanish. "Because my parents brought me up right. I don't go to places like that."

Comments

yeah until "LUIS" gets hit up with the STD of KIDS then he'll see that the ZONE isn't such a bad alternative to alimony and child support, have you ever seen a grown man cry because he was getting wage garnished 50plus% of his paycheck? Yeah in this day and age surviving is whats up and the morals can sit a few rounds out on this one, but again he probably believes he marries a virgin and that she will be faithful to him 4ever, please "LUIS" abre los ojos y mira la verdad or have it your way and prefer illusion to despair.